Elderly residents worried for safety with homes plan

RESIDENTS of a group of retirement homes in Emmer Green are upset at plans for a new development nearby.

Knole Homes wants to build nine homes in Lyefield Court on the site of a Brindles, an existing large property which would be downsized to create a total of 10 houses.

Plans for two new homes on the site were approved last year.

Older people living at the 39 retirement homes at Lyefield Court and the Conifers say they are worried about their safety from the extra traffic in the private road and loss of their privacy and green space.

They have suggested that a new access road is built linking the new homes to the Bovis Homes development being built at the former Reading golf course nearby.

Daphne Spurling, 83, of Lyefield Court, said: “I am concerned about increased traffic and parking along the road.

“Twice in the last nine months ambulances have had to collect me after I dislocated my hip. A further operation is planned so I expect increased visiting by carers and family.

“With my mobility problems, I rely on the delivery of everything I need, including groceries.

“The planned development of Brindles would increase traffic and in all probability the residents would park where Lyefield Court visitors and carers park now.

“I am very worried that this will cause major problems and possible danger to us residents of the Lyefield Court retirement community.” Hugh Renwick, 87, also of Lyefield Court, said: “We’d be going from being in the countryside to an urban environment and for what — an additional nine houses?

“It’s difficult for the developer to say it’s meeting a housing need here when there are 233 houses being built on an adjacent site.

“This is a retirement complex. You’ve got a lot of elderly people here, people pushing walkers and all that sort of stuff.

“With the development, you would have lot of youngsters in here with young families and at least two cars per building coming and going.

“The route in is effectively a one-way road and that is just not considered in the plan.

“The extra traffic and absence of a footpath on part of the road would present a danger to residents and young children.”

Tina Barnes, 77, of the Conifers, said: “My husband and I moved into our apartment a year ago and knew the golf course development was going to be taking place. We also knew that there was planning permission in place for two houses, both sufficiently far away from the boundary with the Conifers so as not to interfere with our privacy. And there was very good screening by huge trees.”

In January the developer removed 24 trees on the boundary between the Conifers and Brindles in anticipation of the planning application.

Mrs Barnes said: “There was a sea of green with 24 trees that aren’t there anymore. They were beautiful, full grown trees but had no preservation order on them.

“I am going to be about 20ft away from the houses if they are built.”

Residents also criticised their management company, Cognatum Estates, for not supporting their objection.

Mrs Barnes said: “We don’t understand when essentially they are responsible for our wellbeing.”

Helen Lambert, who chairs Caversham and District Residents’ Association, said she was concerned about the safety of the residents.

She said: “This development would mean the residents having to share a narrow lane with a number of new properties.

“A lot of residents have mobility issues and use mobility scooters, which means they often have to be in the road. This would become more dangerous for them with nine new houses.

“The plan for these nine new houses creates a substantial concern for their safety.”

Cognatum’s managing director John Lavin, said: “While it is true that some residents object to the development, others hold different views and our role is to try to reflect all views, not to favour one view over another.

“We aim to strike a reasonable and sensible balance between the various opinions and perspectives at a time when emotions are running high among some residents. The legal and planning situation is a complex one but we do think that there are better, less intrusive options for a development at the Brindles.

“We are therefore actively engaged in detailed and extensive discussions with all of our leaseholders in attempting to seek a sensible, coherent and, most importantly, achievable way forward.

“As always, what is in the best interests of Lyefield Court and our leaseholders remains our only motive.”

Architects Arktec say: “The site consists of a generous plot with ample space for the proposed dwellings that would have no adverse impact on its neighbours.

“When seen from all viewpoints, the proposed dwellings appear a logical form of development that respects and follows the existing building pattern and character of the local area.

“Therefore it is considered that the new homes would make a positive contribution to the character of this desirable residential area.”